Washington Yet to Decide Whether to Cover Spinal Injections for Pain

A Washington state committee made up of 11 physicians is set to vote on a number of measures that could significantly affect healthcare in the state, including whether the state should continue to pay for spinal injections for pain patients, according to a Wall Street Journal news report.

The committee was formulated in 2006 to trim down coverage of certain healthcare services in order to lower healthcare costs. In one cost-cutting effort, the committee moved to take away coverage of bariatric surgery for patients aged 18 or younger. Such decisions helped the state save $31 million by the end of 2010, according to the news report.

Critics say the cuts could negatively affect access to patient care, and many healthcare leaders are following the committee's decisions closely. "We agree there need to be restrictions," said David Kloth, a board member of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. "We just think they need to be the appropriate restrictions."

Read the news report about the Washington's committee for deciding healthcare coverage.

Read other coverage about healthcare costs:

- Proposed Montana Bills Target Mandated Benefits, Health Savings Accounts

- S&P: Per Capita Healthcare Costs Grew During 2010

- Blue Cross Board Member's Pay Suspension Will Not Fix Rising Healthcare Costs

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